Monday, May 5th, 2025, I stood in the rain on the streets of Hartford and witnessed something I will carry in my heart forever. An estimated 4000 people from the homeschool community came together at the Connecticut State Capitol in what can only be described as a living, breathing lesson in real civics. It was electric. It was emotional. And it was necessary.
We were there to defend our families from unnecessary and unjust regulation. And while the cause was serious, what I saw throughout the day gave me more hope for the future of this state and this country than I’ve felt in a long time. Though I’ll be clear, that hope came more from witnessing the passion in our children than some of the so-called “representatives” inside the gallery.
Let me tell you what I saw, because I need you to understand that this movement is so much more than a political statement. It’s a community rising to defend not only what it loves, but what its’ God-given rights are.
A Sea of Diversity, United in Purpose
One of the most beautiful things about Monday was the stunning diversity of the crowd. There were families of every race, religion, and background. I saw Christian homeschoolers standing beside Atheist families. Conservative parents hugging progressive ones. Large families, single parents, LGBTQ+ parents, bilingual households, grandparents, and more, all showing up, side by side, with one goal: protecting our freedom to raise and educate our children without unnecessary government interference.
It wasn’t just diversity in identity, it was diversity in circumstance. One mother stood with her children and a sign explaining that homeschooling allows them to stay together while he undergoes cancer treatment. The love and perseverance on her face broke something open in me.
Another mom, after we heard that that larger posters were being taken away at the door, stopped on her way at a nearby store and bought small poster boards and markers for everyone. She didn’t just hand them out, she made sure people had what they needed to be heard.
That’s who we are. That’s what homeschoolers are made of. We don’t just care about our own families, we show up for each other.
The Moments That Moved Me Most
There were so many moments that left me completely breathless. I’ll never forget the image of people wrapped around the Capitol block in the rain, waiting to get inside. There was no complaining. No chaos. Just thousands of people waiting with quiet determination and solidarity.
I watched a young boy ride the escalators again and again, proudly holding his sign: “Public school didn’t keep me safe.” His mother shared in our community that this was the first time he had ever felt safe enough to tell his story. That is what this movement gave him. That’s what being part of a strong, protective community makes possible.
I saw pregnant moms marching with strollers and baby carriers, breastfeeding while chanting with the crowd. I saw kids with special needs being loved, supported, and included. I saw teens standing tall and speaking intelligently about legislation, rights, and responsibility. I saw homeschool dads who are often left out of these narratives, passionately taking a stand alongside their partners. I saw teachers (Yes, teachers!) who came to stand with us, recognizing the injustice of what’s being proposed.
And above it all, I heard chanting and singing, not with anger, but with joy, strength, passion, and power.
This was not a group of fringe activists. This was the face of Connecticut families at their finest.
The Meeting That Excluded Us, and the Voices That Represented Us
Inside the building, there was a six-hour “informational session.” I put that in quotes because only two voices from our community were allowed to speak: Diane Connors of the Connecticut Homeschool Network and Attorney Deborah Stevenson from National Home Education Legal Defense. That’s it.
They weren’t given this platform because they were the loudest, they earned it through decades of experience and tireless advocacy. And let me tell you, they spoke for all of us. They delivered powerful evidence and represented our community with precision, courage, and heart. Still, it was beyond frustrating that thousands of us came and were not allowed to speak for ourselves.
If that doesn’t say something about how this process is being handled, I don’t know what does.
Let Me Be Clear About Why We Were There and What Happened Inside That Room
This isn’t just about homeschooling. This is about parental rights, government overreach, and trust.
At this so-called “emergency” meeting, we heard things that deserve a response. So let’s go through them.
The conduct of some committee members during the session raised concerns.
State Representative Corey Paris (Representing Connecticut’s 145th District – Stamford – Co-chair of the Committee on Children) emphasized the need for “thoughtful, inclusive, and respectful” dialogue. However, his interactions during the meeting, marked by interruptions and a dismissive tone, seemed to contradict this call for civility. Such behavior not only undermines the spirit of open discourse but also sets a concerning example for the young individuals present.
Similarly, State Representative Jennifer Leeper (Representing Connecticut’s 132nd District – Southport & Fairfield – Co-chair of the Education Committee) shared personal anecdotes about relatives and a friend who homeschool, suggesting this provided her with insight into the community. While personal connections can offer perspective, they do not equate to lived experience or comprehensive understanding. Drawing broad conclusions from limited personal exposure risks oversimplifying the diverse realities of homeschooling families across the state.
Not all voices were given the opportunity to speak.
Notably, TEACH CT, an organization representing thousands of Christian homeschooling families in Connecticut, was not afforded a platform to share their perspectives, nor were the representatives of a large homeschool group in Fairfield county. In contrast, a representative from the Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), an organization with differing views on homeschooling, was allowed to present a personal anecdote. While individual stories are valuable, they should not overshadow the collective experiences and data-backed insights of established organizations. It seemed to be clear and deliberate that this “panel” was stacked with individuals and organizations known for opposing homeschool freedom. It didn’t feel like a balanced inquiry, it felt like a performance designed to justify predetermined conclusions. The absence of diverse homeschool voices wasn’t an oversight. It was a tactic.
DCF and child advocates kept saying “our kids.”
No. These are my children. They are not state property. I don’t co-parent with government agencies, and I didn’t consent to anyone having “eyes” on my children at all times. That is my job, and I take it seriously.
Fran Rabinowitz, the executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) said, “We don’t want to control you, we want to regulate you.”
Let’s take a look at the dictionary: Regulate (verb): to control or direct by rule or method. So yes, ma’am, you do want to control us. At least be honest about it.
They claimed children fall through the cracks when no one checks in.
Let me ask: how many children fall through the cracks in public school, under your oversight? Because the answer is: a lot. 87,397 students alone were chronically absent in 2023-24. If oversight prevented harm, we wouldn’t be here. When a system fails, you don’t respond by punishing those who didn’t cause the problem.
And here’s a little analogy I thought of: seatbelts. We all have to wear them. But no one’s pulling over every single car to check unless there’s a reason to. But if something happens and you weren’t following the law, there are consequences. That’s how homeschool oversight works already in Connecticut. And guess what? That’s enough.
Concern for potential abuse within homeschooling environments.
While safeguarding children is paramount, it’s essential to ground our discussions in data. The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) has conducted extensive research on this topic. Their findings indicate that homeschooled children are not at a higher risk of abuse compared to their peers in traditional school settings. In fact, NHERI’s comprehensive analysis reveals no significant evidence linking homeschooling to increased instances of child maltreatment.
What about mandated reporters?
Our community includes nurses, therapists, teachers, doctors, many of whom are mandated reporters. But also, we are decent human beings. We don’t need a law or a mandate to do the right thing. And when something is wrong, we act.
The Waterbury case.
This tragedy keeps getting brought up, but it has nothing to do with homeschooling. That child was not withdrawn to be homeschooled. His abuser was a former teacher. The systems that failed him were the very ones now trying to claim more power. That’s not justice. That’s a cover-up.
“If you’re not doing anything wrong, why does it bother you to check in?”
Because in this country, we don’t treat people as guilty until proven innocent. Because I don’t need to prove my worth to the state to be allowed to parent. Because what you’re proposing is surveillance, not support. And because rights are not privileges you get to grant or revoke. They are ours.
“But what about socialization?”
Socialization is the easiest part of homeschooling today. Our online homeschool communities in Connecticut have tens of thousands of families in them. As an example, my girls are in dance classes where they learn with people of all ages, not just same-age peers. They attend field trips, co-ops, workshops, and classes I couldn’t even begin to list. If anything, they are more socially prepared for the real world than I ever was in traditional school. This rally at the Capitol alone is proof of the kinds of real-world socialization activities our children participate in on a daily basis.
For Those Who Think This Doesn’t Affect You
If you think this issue doesn’t impact you, let me give you 10 reasons to rethink that:
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- When government steps in on parental rights, it doesn’t stop at one group.
- Emergency certification to bypass public input sets a dangerous precedent.
- Weaponized false reporting is on the rise, and it’s terrifying.
- Many homeschoolers also utilize public resources. That bridge matters.
- More families are turning to homeschooling due to issues in public schools.
- If you believe in educational choice, this is your fight too.
- Homeschoolers have often been the canary in the coal mine, first to be targeted.
- Today it’s education. Tomorrow it could be your medical decisions. Oh wait, anyone remember what happened in Connecticut in 2021?
- The right to privacy in parenting is foundational, not conditional.
- We are raising your future voters, coworkers, and community members, and they’re watching.
And yes, we’ve experienced false reporting. It’s traumatizing. Even when your case is dismissed, the fear, the stress, the invasion of privacy, it stays with you. I will never stand by and watch that happen to another family. Not now. Not ever.
The Danger of Silence and the Cost of Legislation
There’s something else that needs to be said clearly: Silence is not neutral.
Staying quiet in the face of government overreach doesn’t protect you. It empowers those who are willing to legislate away freedoms while the rest of us look the other way.
Whether you homeschool or not, silence on this issue sends a message that it’s acceptable for the state to sidestep families, ignore due process, and set a precedent of regulation without representation. And once that line is crossed, it will not end with us.
And let’s also talk about what happens if this legislation passes.
Where do you think thousands of homeschooled children will go if the regulations become so burdensome, invasive, or restrictive that families feel forced to stop? Into a public school system that is already stretched far beyond its limits.
Connecticut classrooms are overcrowded. Teachers are underpaid, overworked, and burning out at record rates. Many are struggling just to keep up with the needs of the students already in their care. Adding thousands of new students to that system isn’t just a logistical nightmare, it’s irresponsible.
And let’s not forget: It will cost us all.
Tracking, regulating, and “monitoring” homeschool families would require a massive investment of taxpayer money, to create infrastructure, hire oversight staff, expand administrative systems, and enforce policies that aren’t needed in the first place. All while public school funding continues to fall short of actual classroom needs.
So if you’re a taxpayer, a teacher, a school administrator, or simply someone who cares about efficient, effective governance, you should be asking:
Why are we trying to fix something that isn’t broken by breaking something else?
The Fight Isn’t Over And We Need You
State Representative Anne Dauphinais (Representing Connecticut’s 44th General Assembly District including Killingly, Plainfield, & Sterling) stated on social media on Tuesday, May 6th, 2025:
“No law, policy, or amount of surveillance will ever catch every bad actor. We cannot legislate away all risk. At some point, we have to stop pretending that more government control equals more safety- It doesn’t. It just punishes the innocent in the name of catching the guilty.
No system will ever be perfect, and we have to accept that. Trying to “save them all” by regulating everyone leads us down a dangerous path where liberty is sacrificed for the illusion of security.”
So what do we do now?
We keep going.
We write to our senators. We call our representatives. We send a FIRM message EVERY person on the Children and Education Committees. We email Governor Lamont. We show up for each other like we did Monday. We continue to show up at the Connecticut State Capitol Building.
We oppose any new homeschool legislation in Connecticut.
We stand firm in defense of parental rights.
We will not be silenced.
To every politician who stand with us, thank you. Truly. We see you. We feel your support. And we’ll remember it.
To every lawmaker who thinks we’ll just quietly accept this, think again.
Next year is an election year. And I can promise you, we won’t forget.
Our children are watching.
And they’re learning.
Because on May 5th, 2025, we showed them what a constitutional republic looks like.
Let’s not stop now.
This is my line in the sand and my contribution to a collection of media sources who are currently publishing false information.
Jessica Dugas
Homeschooling Mother. Community Creator. Advocate. Connecticut Voting Citizen.
*NOTE: The opinions expressed in this piece are my own and do not express that of any of the people or organizations mentioned.
Photo Credit: Jaye Markwell
